The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-03-05

Relics Of n People who Have
Faded from the Earth.
Correspondence Denver Republican.
During the winter of 1SS3-84 it
was my lot to winter among the
relics of the Cliff-Dwellers, and
many pleasant days ! spent among
those ruins. The Mancos canyon
proper is about thirty miles in
length. The formation is sand
stone, which breaks off almost per-
pendicular, leaving a rim-rock;from
1000 to 1900 feet in height. In the
different strata there are immense
coal beds, varying in thickness from
five to thirty feet. The coal is fine
quality, the thirty-foot vein being
free from slate. In some places as
many as seven veins can be seen
from the bottom Of the canyon.
The writer of this has seen almost
all the coal deposits of Colorado,
and will venture to assert that in
no other section will the coal de-
posit equal that of the Mancos can
yOn. The Rio Mancos is an insig-
niticant stream in the summer and
winter, but in the spring the snow
melting on the head of the stream
makes it dangerous fording. The
bottom is of quicksand, and when
the stream is high it changes its
bed several times in day. The
climate is fine during the winter,
and the snow does not lie where
exposed to the sun. even when it is
an extraordinary hard winter, as
that of 1SS3-S4. The canyons are
filled with deer, mountain sheep
and bear.
CLIFF HOUSES.
There are thousands of cliff
houses; every available spot is COW
cred with them They are more
numerous in the canyons running
into the main canyon than in the
main canyon itself. Some houses
are so high and built to conform
with the outline Of the cliff as to
be almost invisible. The buildings
were built for comfort; the ceilings
are high, walls are built of fine
sandstone and plastered with gyp-
sum, immense beds Of which can be
found almost any place in southern
Colorado. Some of the rooms will
compare favorably with the best
work of to-day, though it has been
thousands of years since they were
built. Many people who have never
seen cliff houses have an idea that
the rock has been cut away by hui
man hands, but the hand of nature
cut out the lodges years ago-how
many man cannot conceive. The
water cut away the softer strata of
sandstone, in some places five feet,
in others fifty feet, and even more,
and varying in depth, sometimes
fifty feet back in under the over
hanging cliff. Thus roof and floor
are of solid sandstone. In some
places the overhanging cliff pro-
tects the buildings, so that there
has never been a drop of rain or
flake of snow touched them. This
accounts for the state of preserva-
ton in which they are found.
pOrTERY RELICS.
During my stay in the canyon
gathered dozens, yea hundreds, OF
relics that would have made the
heart of an antiquarian glad, but
did not carry one away with me
when left. / found many speci'
mems of pottery. Everything from
drinking cups to water pots hold
ing fifteen to twenty gallons. The
pottery is decorated in many curl.
Gus designs. In different ruins
| found moccasins made from the
leaves of the soapwood, or Spanish
bayonet, varying in size from No
6 to No. 7. In many places the
imprint of a hand covered with
gypsum can be found. The hands
are all small, though from the moe
casins their feet must have been
those of average size people.
found a great many coils of twine
and pieces of rope made of fibre re
sembling hemp. The twine was
not larger than a large sized fishing
line, and time has not hurt 1t ii
the least, as it is so strong that
man can not break it easily witt
bare hands. The finest specimen
IL found was a dress skirt made
from feathers, or rather from thu
down; the outside of the feath
ers had been carefully plucked, th'
down separated from the quill ant
carefully wound around twin'
strings, and the whole worked int
a skirt about two feet in length
Being a man am at q loss fo1
words to describe this article OF fe
male apparel, but should thinl
that it required not less than si'
months work to make it.
A CHIEFS DWELLING.
The largest cliff house is worth.
of a better description than ! cal
give. but / will try to describe it il
- II 10 ci{ratp in Kea